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Apartment Location Advice: Barrio Norte

With thanks to Avrooster (and others on this forum and TA) for advice on our first trip to BA in 2009, we (dad, mom & college student son) are plannning another visit, in January. Last time we stayed in Recoleta, near Plaza Vincente Lopez, and liked the area. I read with interest a discussion on this forum about the atributes of the general area of Palermo Botanico, Barrio Norte, etc. and would welcome any thoughts on the location of Buenos Aires Habitat apartment below (Anchorena and Santa Fe). We are looking neither for posh nor hip, but prefer a "real" neighborhood - shops, local restaurants, markets, etc., with access to transportation and parks. http://www.buenosaireshabitat.com/apartment_n414.html
Many thanks.

I chose BA Habitat, largely based on this posting. I have had difficulty with BA Habitat from fairly early on. When we were looking for a 2 bedroom place, with A/C and WiFi, everytime we found a place, we were told it was unavailable and they'd send a list of choices. Within a day we'd respond, and they'd say the place that was on their list, was not available. The killer was after doing this 6 or 7 times, our original request ended up on their list! We were confused so we asked, and they didn't have an answer (we were dealing with Tina Brand) but said that the apartment was in fact available. So, we sent the required 20% wire transfer and made sure to have the rest in cash as they required, plus the $400 deposit. It was a lot of cash, so I asked if I could just transfer the total before leaving, and Tina said no. My partner is Argentinean, and family met us at the airport. When we arrived at the apartment, we did a walk through. The air conditioning wasn't working in one of the bedrooms (and at the time, summer, we were experiencing extreme heat), there were no batteries for two of the three A/C remotes, there were ants all over the main bathroom, the blinds in the living room and the second bedroom were broken, the list could go on. I was assured that all would be fixed.We're now 10 days in to our trip and the A/C still isn't fixed. The ants are still there, and even though we spray, which leaves a terrible odor, they come back! And no one ever brought batteries for the remote control A/C units and the blinds are still broken.I have sent numerous emails to BA Habitat no response.

I heartily disagree with the previous poster about Buenos Aires Habitat. BA Habitat is one of the few agencies in BA that comes highly recommended. All I can say is the poster must consider all positive reviews fakes...and spent a lot of time looking for a disgruntled reviewer. Keep in mind there are just as many fake negative reviews, posted by competitors, as there are fake positive reviews. In every instance, look for the number of reviews a person has done and the total number of posts on TA....you can check the post history to determine both...If all the posts have been about the same agency or if there is only one post, don't give it as much weight. BA Habitat is recommended by several of the Designated Experts on TA, including Ricardo BA who has referred a number of people to the agency over the years.

So, yes, it is wise to be aware that fake reviews exist...but it is possible to quickly sort out what is real and what is not...in this case,BA habitat is the real deal....albeit a pricey option.

Now, the location....kind of an in between area...not quite in the heart of Recoleta or the heart of Palermo...As you may recall, Santa Fe is a very busy street with lots of shopping, cafes and so forth...mostly that appeal to locals vs tourists. Busy can be noisy.....but if you want a real area, this certainly qualifies and Santa Fe has lots of bus traffic and there is a nearby subway stop.

I just want to be on record that I take issue with that negative, 2008 review of Buenos Aires Habitat.

Any Agency, any owner, can have an apartment that is in a less than perfect state - or that develops problems.

The question is - how does the Agency handle the problem or the deficiency ? And Buenos Aires Habitat, like Reynolds Propriedades, has been fast and efficient in handling problems, large and small. Our own experience with both of these Agencies has been excellent. And that reflects the experiences of many friends, as well.

So, do not lose heart about renting...just be prudent in your search...like using good Agencies such as BA Habitat !